From: g_d_pusch_remove_underscores@xnet.com   
      
   Rick Jones  writes:   
      
   > Makhno  wrote:   
   >> This makes three assumptions, One is that we're air-breathing all   
   >> the way, which might not be too unreasonable because the hardest   
   >> part (where g is highest and the engine will be working its hardest)   
   >> has plenty of air. Even at high altititudes a super-charger or   
   >> similar technology could be applied to allow the engine to breath   
   >> the air, only switching to a liquid oxygen tank, or oxygen-less fuel   
   >> when truely in space.   
   >   
   > Could you be better off stopping part way up to fill the O2 tanks   
   > using those superchargers/whatever instead of lugging them up filled   
   > from the surface?  After all, you could just hang there on the tether   
   > right?   
      
   Please note that the density of the atmosphere is already negligible   
   at a mere 150 km of altitude, less than 0.4% of the way to GSO,   
   whereas the gravitational force at that altitude is still essentially   
   the same as that at "sea level." It will =NOT= be possible to use   
   "superchargers" to get oxygen from the air --- LOX tanks will be needed.   
      
      
   -- Gordon D. Pusch   
      
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